Highlights
- BioShock 4 and Judas are in development at the same time, with Judas seen as a spiritual successor to the BioShock series.
- BioShock 4's rumored Antarctic setting could differentiate it from Judas and previous games, as Judas will be set in space.
- BioShock 4 must also transform mechanics, tone, and structure to stand out from competition. However, both games having massively different settings would be a good start.
Fans of the original BioShock trilogy are preparing for a veritable gaming feast: both BioShock 4 and Judas are in development. Judas, seen as a sort of spiritual successor to BioShock, is set to release early next year, and BioShock 4 shouldn't be too far behind, though the state of its development is far less elucidated.
Although Judas is the newcomer, it's still seen as the game that BioShock 4 has to prove itself against. Some of this comes down to the fact that audiences have seen much more of Judas than BioShock 4, but there's also the matter of pedigree: Judas is coming from BioShock creator Ken Levine, who is often hailed as a visionary, while BioShock 4 will be the debut release of Cloud Chamber, an untried studio formed by 2K specifically to continue the series' legacy. Regardless of how these games turn out, comparisons between them are going to be made, and BioShock 4 should be sure to capitalize on everything that helps it stand out from its main competitor.
BioShock 4, Judas Can't Repeat the History of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol
Callisto Protocol and Dead Space Remake dropping around the same time ended in disappointment for all and history can't repeat for BioShock and Judas.
Judas' Space Setting Leaves Plenty of Room for BioShock 4's Rumored Premise to Shine
BioShock 4 Could Be Set in Antarctica
For quite some time now, BioShock 4's setting has been rumored to be Antarctica. This possible setting could be tough to get right—there's a reason the desolate Arctic is rarely visited in gaming—but it nevertheless has plenty of potential. Assuming these setting rumors turn out to be correct, BioShock 4 will immediately stand out from its predecessors, making a clean break from the watery depths of Rapture and the glimmering Americana of Columbia.
More importantly, it will set itself apart from Judas, presenting players with a far more grounded premise and leaving the flight-of-fancy, space horror to Ken Levine's team at Ghost Story Games. The last thing that Cloud Chamber should want is for BioShock 4 to be seen as playing second fiddle to Judas, and with a setting that is rooted in the real world, perhaps with the specific philosophical underpinnings of the previous BioShock games, it can stay true to the series' traditions while forming its own identity. Players should be happy about this as well, as it means two decidedly distinct BioShock-style games on the market, rather than a pair of ambitious games jostling for the same spot.
An Antarctic Setting Is a Good Start, but BioShock 4 Can't Stop There
For BioShock 4 to truly differentiate itself from Judas, it will need more than just a different coat of paint. Regardless of one's opinion about BioShock Infinite and its relationship to the rest of the series, it cannot be denied that with the new setting, there also came new gameplay mechanics: Columbia is massive, expansive, and bright, contrasting Rapture's claustrophobic, Atlas Shrugged art deco opulence. Thus, the gameplay of Infinite is faster, more linear, and with less of a focus on survival-horror mechanics like resource gathering. Players were leaping around Columbia and soaring through the air on sky-lines, not scrounging through water-logged detritus to get one extra case of ammo.
Whatever BioShock 4's setting winds up looking like, the game must transform its mechanics, tone, and structure alongside its environment. To be blunt, BioShock 4 has some stiff competition, with countless developers borrowing from the franchise's unforgettable themes, gameplay, and narrative delivery over the years, often to great effect. That is to say, for BioShock 4 to be competitive, it will need to be more than 'BioShock on ice.' A radical new approach, informed by its setting, will be instrumental in helping BioShock 4 stand on its own, not just against Judas, but the likes of Atomic Heart and Clockwork Revolution as well.
